Home
You can view the current or previous issues of Diabetes Health online, in their entirety, anytime you want.
Click Here To View
See if you qualify for our free healthcare professional magazines. Click here to start your application for Pre-Diabetes Health, Diabetes Health Pharmacist and Diabetes Health Professional.
Latest Diabetes Articles
Popular Diabetes Articles
Highly Recommended Diabetes Articles
The Heart of the Matter: Women with Diabetes are More at Risk
A large Kaiser Permanente study, published this month in Diabetes Care, has found that women with diabetes are 26 percent more likely to develop the very rapid and irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation (AF) than women without diabetes. Although not a killer on its own, AF is a serious condition that requires medical treatment and can cause complications. In addition to fatigue, the poor circulation that results from AF can lead to blood pooling and clotting, ultimately causing a stroke.
The seven-year Kaiser Permanente study used an unprecedented number of patients (almost 35,000 patients, half with diabetes and half without) and was controlled for factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, and age. The researchers found that although men with diabetes are also at higher risk of AF than those without diabetes, the link between AF and diabetes is not as profound as it is in women. The study's lead investigator, Greg Nichols, PhD, said in a press release that "obesity and high blood pressure are still the bigger risk factors for men with diabetes."
Nearly 2.2 million people in the United States have AF, and many more go undiagnosed. The study authors pointed out that given the prevalence of AF and the rising numbers of people with diabetes, close attention should be paid to the link between the two conditions, especially in women. If more studies demonstrate a gender difference in the disease, perhaps one day men and women with diabetes will be treated differently by healthcare providers.
You might also enjoy Hope for Healthy Hearts, Women Have the Power to Lessen Risk
* * *
Source: Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic
Categories: Diabetes, Diabetes, Heart Care & Heart Disease, Research, Type 1 Issues, Type 2 Issues
You May Also Be Interested In...
Click Here To View Or Post Comments
3 comments -
Oct 21, 2009
-
Diabetes Health
Diabetes Health is the essential resource for people living with diabetes- both newly diagnosed and experienced as well as the professionals who care for them. We provide balanced expert news and information on living healthfully with diabetes. Each issue includes cutting-edge editorial coverage of new products, research, treatment options, and meaningful lifestyle issues.
-
Topics
- Diabetic / Diabetes Health
- Type 1 / 1.5 Diabetes
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Blood Glucose / Sugar
- High/Low Blood Sugar / Fast Acting Glucose
- Insulin- Pumps, Pens & Syringes
- Continuous Glucose Monitors, CGM, Infusion Sets
- Type 2 Medications
- Hyperglycemia
- Hypoglycemia
Email to a Friend
Send a link to this page to your friends and colleagues.